When a rakkhosh demon attacks her family on the morning of her 12th birthday, Kiranmala discovers that her parents' fantastical stories about their ties to royalty are true and is whisked away by two crush-worthy princes to a parallel dimension filled with magic, winged horses, moving maps and talking birds.

A coming-of-age tale of community and unlikely friendship relates the experiences of a 12-year-old musical prodigy who notices incremental differences between her happy-go-lucky twin brother and herself during a summer marked by respective goals, a serious accident and the Minnesota State Fair.

Sent to live with scheming relatives after the death of her mother, Wavie struggles to follow the list of instructions left by her mother about how to be brave and find her place in the world as part of an effort to secure a home with a loving guardian.

What it's about: All Ace wanted was some peanut butter, but since opening the jar released a genie instead, he has only seven days to master the art of wishmaking and save the world from an army of zombie animals.

Who it's for: Fans of Max Brallier's Last Kids on Earth books will relish the offbeat humor and supernatural action in this series opener.

A sequel to the Newbery Honor-winning The War That Saved My Life continues the story of Ada, who in the aftermath of the surgery that corrects her disability struggles to welcome a Jewish-German girl into the crowded cottage where her loved ones are enduring the horrors of World War II.

Starring: eleven-year-old Liv, who knows he's transgender but hasn't told anyone yet -- a situation that's more difficult at his new school, where they see him as a girl and require him to wear a uniform with a skirt.

Why you might like it: You'll be rooting for the likable, determined Liv as he and his moms challenge the school dress code.

Try this next: M.G. Hennessey's The Other Boy, for a different take on being a trans guy in middle school.

What it's about: It's 1974, and Los Angeles sixth-graders Armstrong and Charlie are both having a rough year: Armstrong is mad about being transferred into a school where he's one of only a few black kids, while white Charlie is mad that all of his friends have transferred out.

Why you might like it: Both boys take turns describing the realistic, funny, and sometimes uncomfortable events that lead to them becoming best friends.

Starring: Rachel, who's starting seventh grade with awesome friends, a maybe-boyfriend, a spot as forward on the school soccer team, and a bulky spinal brace that makes her life complicated both on and off the field.

You might also like: Kwame Alexander's Booked, which also stars a middle school soccer player who's sidelined by an unexpected medical issue.

A first entry in a riotous debut duology features brainy student Nikola, who is recruited by aliens to attend a boarding school for geniuses, where she makes otherworldly friends and discovers her own unusual powers.